World No 3 Nadal, who relishes playing at the California desert venue, broke his opponent in the seventh game of the second set before clinching victory in one hour 34 minutes on a blustery late afternoon.

The Spanish left-hander removed his red headband in celebration after a Schuettler backhand flew wide before approaching the net to shake hands with his opponent.

"Indian Wells is one of my favourite tournaments and I always feel like I'm at home here," a smiling Nadal said in a courtside interview. "I have very happy memories here."

The six-times Grand Slam champion had to contend with gusting winds on the stadium court at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden but he was overall pleased with his form.

"It was a good start in the conditions for me and I'm very happy," Nadal, 23, said. "It was difficult to adapt but I start the match playing well.

"Later, when I was playing in favour of the wind, it was very difficult for me with the backhand because I feel if I only touch the ball, the ball was out. It went too much.

BETTER CONDITIONS

"I feel really well with the forehand, and that's very important to my game. Maybe I can play better in better conditions with the backhand."

Nadal, champion at Indian Wells in 2007 and again last year, will next meet Croatia's Mario Ancic who came from a set down to beat Frenchman Julien Benneteau 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

The six-foot five-inch Ancic played only five months on last year's ATP Tour after being sidelined with a recurrence of mononucleosis and his ranking has since slipped to 694th.

"I know he had a very hard time at home," said Nadal, competing this week for the first time since shaking off the knee injury that forced him to abandon his Australian Open title defence in January.